Patna, Feb. 21: The transport department is working on a war footing to ensure that the system of manufacturing and fixing of high security registration plates and fixing them on all new vehicles across the state starts from March 31.

The department has asked the agency selected for this job to ensure that the embossing and affixation stations are made functional from the March 31 deadline set by the Supreme Court under an order dated February 7, 2012. Patna would have both affixation and embossing stations for manufacture and supply of high security registration plates.

Under the system, owners of new vehicles would need to apply at the affixation station/district transport officer’s (DTO) office with registration details or an order issued by the DTO’s office. After the owner submits the application and pays the requisite fees, he would be given a receipt mentioning the date and time for taking his vehicle, which would not be more than two working days. A similar process would be followed in case of replacement of existing number plates with high security registration plates with the only difference of owners submitting relevant documentary evidence from the DTO with the application.

A web portal is also being developed to enable vehicle owners track their applications after the process starts. Vehicle owners would also be entitled to free of cost replacement of high security number plates on the DTO’s advice if any manufacturing defect is found in hot stamping or reflective sheet.

State transport minister Brishen Patel told The Telegraph: “The agency selected under this scheme has been asked to set up affixation stations in all 38 districts in the state latest by March 31 and to ensure that all new registered vehicles compulsorily install high security registration plates from March 31. The same process for registration plates of existing vehicles would start from June 15.”

Patna DTO Harihar Prasad said: “Though we have not received any communication from the selected agency regarding setting up of embossing or affixation station in the capital, there is not much space at the DTO office to accommodate such stations. The stations are likely to be set up close to the DTO, Patna office.”